THE FOXGLOVE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1398, 26 March 1912, Page 8

THE FOXGLOVE.

DECLARED A NOXIOUS WEED. A motion declaring tho foxglove a noxious weed was carried at a special meoting of the Mastertun County Council. In moving the motion, Councillor welch said it was certainly desirable that foxglove should bo ■ declared a noxious weed. It had only made its appearance m the county during the Inst lew years, and if it were not brought in as a noxious weed it would spread considerably. It had been stated that if foxglove 'were declared a noxious weed it would bring ruination to somo settlers. The. council had no wish to bring about this, but what would it mean if tho weed were allowed to spread and bring ruination all over the county? He did not think the declaring of foxglovo a noxious weed would be the hardship it w.is thought by certain settlers. 110 had made inquiries at the Department's office, and had been informed that the settlers would not be asked to clear tho whole of tho land at once, but only round the boundary. Councillor Murray said that he had spoken to (ho Department's officers oh the subject, and had been informed that it was not tho intention of the Department to harass settlers. Only a small area would be required to Ixi cleared at one period. As an illustration of how foxglove would -pi'ead, Councillor Murray sniil thai in his district; n sultler owned a farm of fifty acres, and five or six years ago the only foxglove 011 tho place was in the garden. Tho weed had .since spread nil over tlis properly. He believed that ill solne places foxglove did not spread, tie knew of some that had been growing in a certain locality for fifteen years, awl it had hardly spread at all, but this was an exceptional case.